Late push gives Gophers another win in softball

Kaylie Bernard slides into home to score a run for the Gophers vs. Dover-Eyota. SAM CLEMENS/CHATFIELD NEWS

The Chatfield softball team played a pair of games last week, one on Thursday and one on Friday, as it looked to build on some late inning heroics in its previous game. In the opener of the week, the Gophers did just that as they were victorious over the Dover-Eyota Eagles by way of the 10-run rule. Friday's result wasn't as favorable, however, as Chatfield was defeated at home by Winona Cotter, dropping the Gopher's record to 5-3 on the season.

Dover-Eyota 1, Chatfield 15 (F/6)

Despite winning by 14 runs, the Gophers actually trailed in this game for the first three innings. The Eagles scored a run in the first and held Chatfield to zero runs and only three hits through the third inning.

The tide would turn in the fourth, however, as the Gophers scored 15 runs on 15 hits while holding the Eagles scoreless in the final three innings.

Maddy Larrabee got the scoring started for the Gophers in the fourth inning with an RBI double that scored Kirsten Keefe. Larrabee came around to score two batters later on a ground out. The Gophers scored five runs total in the fourth, capped off by a Shelby Bernard single that scored Sidney Irish.

The Gopher lineup continued its success in the following inning as it added four more runs in the fifth. After a series of singles loaded the bases, Sidney Irish, who was one of four Gophers with three hits in the game, drove in two runs with a double to right field. Irish had an outstanding game at the plate, going three for four while driving in four runs and scoring three more.

After increasing its lead to eight in the fifth, Chatfield continued to pour it on in the sixth, adding six more runs. Sydney Gould led off the inning with a double and scored two batters later when Brook Irish hit her fourth home run of the season. The Gophers would go on to score four more in the inning, highlighted by an RBI double by Megan LaPlante, who drove in three run in all, that scored Janessa Erding, who had three hits in the game.

The Gophers were equally as dominant on the mound as they were offensively. Brook Irish started the game and pitched four solid innings, allowing an unearned run while giving up two hits and two walks and recording four strikeouts. Kirsten Keefe relieved Irish in the fifth and pitched the game's final two innings. Keefe gave up three hits and struck out one in two scoreless innings.

Winona Cotter 9, Chatfield 3

On Friday, it was the Gophers who jumped out to an early lead only to be defeated on a flurry of late inning runs by the visiting Ramblers.

After a scoreless first inning, the Gophers took a 2-0 lead in the second on a Sydney Gould home run that scored Kirsten Keefe. That lead would not stand for long, however, as the Ramblers scored one run in the third and three more in the fourth and fifth each.

Chatfield attempted to climb back into the game in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with no outs in the inning. They were only able to manage one run, however, as two outs were recorded on the base paths. That one run was scored by Erding, who had her second consecutive three-hit game, on a dropped fly ball that allowed her to score from third base.

The Gopher offense continued to put together rallies in the sixth and seventh innings, loading the bases again in both. Unfortunately, both rallies would fizzle as they were unable to string enough hits together to score the runners.

On the mound, Jennifer Hanson got the start and pitched all seven innings for Chatfield. Hanson allowed nine runs, seven of which were earned, on fourteen hits and a pair of walks while striking out four.

On deck

The Gophers were scheduled to resume their season on Monday with a doubleheader in Peterson against the R-P Trojans. Then, on Wednesday, Chatfield will travel to St. Charles to take on the Saints. They will then wrap up the week with a tournament held in Stewartville beginning on Friday.